Fabricated brush holder



Patented Apr. 15, 1947 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FABRICATED BRUSH HOLDER Application July 29, 1943, Serial No. 496.610

(01. I'll-$24) Claims.

Our invention relates to fabricated brushholders, and it has particular relation to brushholders for two-part brushes or other divided brushes for direct-current machines. By the expression two-part brushes, we mean to include a divided-brush arrangement, in which one main brush is divided into two individual pieces or smaller brushes, each brush-part having half of the total brush-thickness, and each brush part being free to move independently of the other.

Our invention started out to be a development to save the use of critical material (brass or bronze), which it does, to the amount of many thousands of pounds per year, on the basis of the present activity of the Westinghouse Electric Corporation.

The result of our invention, however, is a brushholder which has the advantages of lower weight, lower cost, much easier manufacture, and adaptability for using common parts for a line of brushholders of dilierent sizes.

An important object of our invention is to provide a fabricated brushholder for two-part brushes, comprising a pres-assembled bracket, a pro-assembled brush-box, two fingers, two helical springs, and means for holding these parts together; the pre-assemb1ed bracket and the preassembled brush-box each being composed of two U-shaped parts bent from identical punch-- ings, one bent right-handedly, and the other left handedly.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, our invention consists in the parts, combinations, assemblies and methods hereinafter described and claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein Figure 1 is a side view of a complete brushholder constructed in accordance with our in vention, but not drawn to an exact scale,

Fig. 2 is a front view of the same,

Fig. 3 is a plan of the bracket,

Fig. i is a rear elevation of the bracket,

Fig. 5 is a sectional View of the bracket on the line V-V of Fig. 3,

Fig. 6 is a side view of the brush-box,

Fig. '7 is a sectional view of the brush-box on the line VII-VII of Fig. 6, and

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary sectional view of the spring-and-finger mounting, on the line VIIIVIII of Fig. 2.

Our brushholder comprises, essentially, a preassembled bracket 9, a pre-assembled brush-box l0, two fingers: H and I2, and two plain helical springs l3 and M, assembled as shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

The bracket 9, as shown in detail in Figs. 3, 4 and 5, comprises a right-hand U-shaped part I5,

and a left-hand U-shaped part 16, placed side by side, and joined together, as by spot-welding at H and I8, (Fig. 5). Said right and left-hand U-shaped parts 15 and I6, as shown in the drawing, have similarly shaped central or adjoining sides, :8, and also outer sides 20 which are similar to each other, and also similar (but right and left-handed) backs 2| or bights of the Us; so that these U-shaped parts, 15 and 16, when opened out fiat, would have identical contours. Thus, these U-shaped parts l5 and 16 may be stamped out of sheet-metal, such as steel, with a single die (not shown), and formed into the illustrated U-shape by merely being bent in opposite directions, one right-handedly and the other lefthandedly.

The outer sides 2i) of the two U-shaped parts 55 and iii of the bracket merely serve to retain the respective springs l3, l4 and brush-engaging fingers ll, I2. These sides 20 have perforations 22 and 23 for receiving the pivot-pins 24 of the fingers.

The inner sides is of the two U-shaped parts l5 and E5 of the bracket have the rear ends of their upper edges notched, as shown at 25 and 26 in Figs. 3 and 5, to receive or anchor one end of the respective springs l3 and M. An upwardly extending portion 28 of these inner sides 19 provides an electrical terminal attachment for the brushholder; and a downwardly and forwardly extending portion 30 of these inner sides l9 provides a bifurcated receptacle 3|, (Fig. 4), these portions 30 being spread apart for this purpose. As shown in Fig. 1, these bifurcated or spread apart portions 38 are used to mount the brush-box Hi, as by means of rivets 32.

The two inner sides I9 of the two U-shaped parts i5 and I6 of the bracket are also provided, near their bight-portions 2!, with a cut-away portion or hole 34, (Fig. 5). Before assembling or putting together these two U-shaped parts l5 and it, a mounting-block or plate 36 is assembled through, the holes 34 of the two inner sides I9, and when the two sides l9 are spot welded together at I! and I8 (Fig. 5), the ends of the mounting-plate 36 may be resistancewelded to the two outer sides 20, at the points indicated at 3? and 38 in Fig. 3; The mounting-plate 36 is tapped at 39 to provide a convenient mounting-means for mounting the brushholder, and the backs or bights 2| of the two U- shaped parts may conveniently be provided with holes 40 (Figs. 4 and 5) for leaving access to the mounting-plate 36.

The pie-assembled brush-box ID, as shown in detail in Figs. 6 and 7, comprises a right-hand U-shaped part 41 (Fig. 7) with flanges 42 and 43 at the ends of the U, and a left-hand U-shaped part 44 (Figs. 1, 6 and 7), with flanges 42 and 43 at the ends of the U. The flanges 42 and 42 are joined together, as by a rivet 45; and the flanges 43 and 43 are joined together, as by rivets 46. In this manner the two flanged U-shaped parts 4i and 44 are joined together, end to end, to provide a box 41 (Fig. '7) large enough for the two brushes 48 and 49 (Fig. 1) side by side, one in front of the other, the plane of the joined flanges 42- 52 and 43-43 being from front to rear, or at right angles to the plane between the two brushes. The brush-box 4'! is provided with a partition-member 59, which is located in the plane between the two brushes, and which is conveniently held in place by means of tabs 5| extending through correspondingly shaped holes in the bights of the two U-shaped parts M and 44 of the brush-box assembly Hi. The partition 56 divides the box 41 into two parts, one for each of the brushes 48 and 49.

The flanges 42, 4-2 of the brush-box U-parts are extended, as shown in Figs. 6 and '7, so as to provide a mounting-portion which is inserted in the bifurcated or spread-apart portion 30 of the bracket 9, so that these parts may be riveted together, as shown at 32 in Fig. 1.

It will be noted that, as in the case of the two U-shaped parts l5 and 16 of the bracket 9, so also in the case of the two flanged U-shaped parts 45 and 44 of the brush-box In, these parts, when opened out flat, would have substantially identical contours, so that they can be stamped out of sheet-metal, such as brass, or even steel, with a single die (not shown), and they can be formed into the flanged U-shape, as shown in Fig. '7, by bending one blank forwardly, and the other backwardly, to the shapes shown in Fig. 7.

The brush-engaging fingers H and I2 may also be stamped out of sheet-metal, such as steel, using a single die (not shown), and they can be bent, one right-handedly and the other lefthandeclly, as indicated in Fig. 2, to provide a se ries of hooks 55, for receiving the ends 56 of the r respective springs l3 and i4, and to provide a bent-over brush-engaging portion for engaging the centers of the tops of the respective brushes 43 and 49.

It will be noted that the right-hand finger H and the right-hand spring l3 are mounted Within the right-hand U-shaped member 15 of the bracket 9, on a pivot 24 which is back of the pivot 24 for the left-hand finger l2 and the left-hand spring IS, the latter being mounted within the left-hand U-shaped member l5 of the bracket 9. Thus the front end 53 of the right-hand finger H engages the brush 48 which is back of the brush 49, while the front end 58 of the left-hand finger 12 engages the foremost brush 49.

In fabricating brushholders in accordance with our invention, it will be noted that the manufacturin operations are extremely simple, as explained. It will further be noted that the same bracket can be used for any one of a pliuality of different sizes of brush-boxes, for different sizes of brushes, thus making it a simple and inexpensive matter to provide an entire line of different sizes of brushholders, or to add a new size, when needed, by making a new brush-box and assem- 4 bling it on some previously designed bracket member.

It will be obvious that various details of construction may be incorporated in the design. Thus the two halves of the brush-box in may be provided with additional bent-out tabs or flanges 66, 6| for receiving the ends of a retaining-clip 62 (Figs. 1 and 2).

While we have illustrated our invention in a single illustrative form of embodiment, which we now prefer, it will be obvious that our invention is susceptible of various modifications to adapt it to special circumstances. We desire, therefore, that the appended claims shall be given the broadest construc ion consistent with their language.

We claim as our invention:

1. A fabricated brushholder for two-part brushes, comprising a pie-assembled bracket, 8, pie-assembled brush-box, two fingers, two helical springs, and means for holding these parts together; said bracket comprising a right-hand U-shaped part and a left-hand U-shaped part placed side by and joined together, said rightand left-hand U-shaped parts, when opened out flat, having substantially identical contours, being merely bent, in opposite directions, to provide the aforesaid U-sha-ped parts, the joined-together sides of the U-shaped parts having spread-apart portions to provide a bifurcated receptacle for a mounting-portion of the tire-assembled brushbox, and the two bights of the U-shaped parts having a mounting-means for mounting the brushholder on support; said pre-assembled brush-box comprising a right-hand U-shaped part with flanges at the ends of the U, a left-hand U-shaped part with flanges at the ends of the U, and joining means for the flanges to provide a box large enough for the two brushes side by side, the plane of the joined flanges being at right angles to the plane between the two brushes, and a partition-member for the box located in the plane between the two brushes, to divide the box into two parts, one for each brush, one pair of said joined flanges extending out into a mounting-portion for attachment to the pie-assembled bracket, said rightand left-hand flanged U- shaped parts, when opened out fiat, having substantially identical contours, being merely bent, in opposite directions, to provide the aforesaid flanged U-shaped parts; one of said fingers and one of said springs being mounted in the righthand U-shaped part of the bracket; and the other finger and the other spring being mounted in the left-hand U-shaped part of the bracket; one of said finger-and-spring mountings being behind the other, and the fingers being of such relative lengths that the two fingenends will engage dih erent ones of said brushes.

A fabricated brushholder for two-part 'ushes, comprising a pro-assembled bracket, a e-assernbled brush-box, two fingers, two helical age, and means for holding these parts tother; said bracket comprising a right-hand U- ;aped part and left-hand U-shaped part laced side by side and joined together, said and left-hand U-shaped parts, when contours, being merely bent, in opposite directions, to provide the aforesaid U-shaped parts, the joined-together sides of the U-shaped parts havin an attachment-portion for engagement with a mounting portion of the pre-assembled brush-box, and the two bights of the U-shaped parts having a mounting-means for mounting the brushholder on a support; said pro-assembled brush-box comprising a right-hand U-shaped part with fianges at the ends of the U, a lefthand U-ohaped part with fianges at the ends of the U, and joining-means for the fianges to provide a box large enough for the two brushes side by side, the plane of the joined fianges being at right angles to the plane between the two brushes, and a partition-member for the box located in. the plane between the two brushes, to divide the box into two parts, one for each brush, one pair of said joined flanges extending out into a mounting-portion for attachment to the preassembled bracket, said rightand left-hand flanged U-shaped parts, when opened out flat, having substantially identical contours, being merely bent, in opposite directions, to provide the aforesaid flanged U-shaped parts; one of said fingers and one of said springs being mounted in the right-hand Ushaped part of the bracket; and the other finger and the other spring being mounted in the left-hand U-shaped part of the bracket; one of said finger-and-spring mountings being behind the other, and the fingers being of such relative lengths that the two finger-ends will engage different ones of said brushes.

3. A fabricated brushholder for two-part brushes, comprising a pre--assen1bled bracket, a brush-box, two fingers, two helical springs, and means for holding these parts together; said bracket comprising a right-hand Ll-shaped part and a left-hand U-shaped part placed side by side and joined together, said rightand lefthand U-shaped parts, when opened out fiat, having substantially identical contours, being merely bent, in opposite directions, to provide the aforesaid U-shaped parts, the joined-together sides of the U-shaped parts having spread-=apart portions to provide a bifurcated receptacle for a mounting-portion of the brush-box, and the two bights of the U-shaped parts having a mountingmeans for mounting the brushholder on a support; said brush-box comprising a box large enough for the two brushes side by side, and a mounting-portion extending out from said box for attachment to said bracket, the plane of the mounting-portion being at right angles to the plane between the two brushes, and a partitionmember for the box located in the plane between the two brushes, to divide the box into two parts, one for each brush; one of said fingers and one of said springs being mounted in the right-hand U- shaped part of the bracket; and the other finger and the other spring being mounted in the lefthand U-shaped part of the bracket; one of said finger-and-spring mountings being behind the other, and the fingers being of such relative lengths that the two finger-ends will engage different ones of said brushes. 1

4. A fabricated brushholder for two-part brushes, comprising a pre-assembled bracket, a brush-box, two fingers, two helical springs, and means for holding these parts together; said bracket comprising a right-hand U-shaped part and a left-hand U-shaped part placed side by side and joined together, said right and left-hand U-shaped parts, when opened out fiat, having substantially identical contours, being merely bent, in opposite directions, to provide the afor said U-shaped parts, the joined-together sides of the U-shaped parts having an attachmentportion for engagement with a mounting portion of the brush-box, and the two bights of the U- shaped parts having a mounting-means for mounting the brushholder on a support; said brush-box comprising a box large enough for the two brushes side by side, and a mounting-portion extending out from said box for attachment to said bracket, the plane of the mounting-portion being at right angles to the plane between the two brushes, and a partition-member for the box located in the plane between the two brushes, to divide the box into two parts, one for each brush; one of said fingers and one oi said springs being mounted in the right-hand U-shaped part of the bracket; and the other finger and the other spring being mounted in the left-hand U-shaped part of the bracket; one of said fingerandspring mountings being behind the other, and the fingers being of such relative lengths that the two finger-ends will engage different ones of said brushes.

5. A fabricated brushholder for two-part brushes, comprising a bracket, a brush-box, two fingers, two helical springs, and means for holding these parts together; said bracket comprising a right-hand U-shaped part and a left-hand U-shaped part placed side by side and joined together, and the joined-together sides of the U- shaped parts having an attachment-portion for engagement with a mounting portion of the brush-box; said brush-box comprising a box large enough for the two brushes side by side, and a mounting-portion extending out from said box for attachment to said bracket, the plane of the mounting-portion being at right angles to the plane between the two brushes, and a partition member for the box located in the plane between the two brushes, to divide the box into two parts, one for each brush; one of said fingers and one of said springs being mounted in the right-hand U-shaped part of the bracket; and the other finger and the other spring being mounted in the left-hand U-shaped part of the bracket; one of said finger-and-spring mountings being behind the other, and the fingers being of such relative lengths that the two finger-ends will engage different ones of said brushes.

CARL T. SHEAKS. JAMES H. SANSONETTI.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

